Origin

As early as the 1880s, cool, an Old English word related to cold, was being used by black Americans to mean ‘excellent, pleasing’, and ‘stylish’. It only became more widely known when people started associating it with jazz musicians with a restrained and relaxed style in the 1940s. It then declined in popularity for a decade or two before regaining its position as the top all-purpose affirmative. Cool as a cucumber is also older than might be expected, going back to the mid 18th century.

Derivatives

coolish

We were ushered through to the comfortable bar area - again, decorated in coolish summer colours - where we pondered the menu over a glass of Kaliber low alcohol lager for me and an orange juice for Lili.

‘The last week to 10 days have warmed up and I think the overall temperature for July will probably be average after a coolish start,’ he said.

‘It was coolish,’ says Murray, by which he means an ambient temperature of minus 42 degrees Celsius.